000 02504nam a22003377a 4500
001 4n5n12112h708f6g
003 SE-LIBR
005 20240222085549.0
007 cr ||| |||||
008 240221s2024 sw |||||o|||||000 ||eng|c
040 _aSipr
041 _aeng
100 1 _aRaju, Nivedita
245 1 0 _aEscalation risks at the space-nuclear nexus /
_h[electronic resource]
_cNivedita Raju and Wilfred Wan
260 _aSolna :
_bSIPRI,
_c2024
300 _a31 p.
490 0 _aSIPRI research policy paper
500 _a"February 2024"
500 _aSIP2423
500 _aSpace systems are essential for nuclear and non-nuclear missions for China, Russia and the United States, with the space domain central in their national security strategies. Amid the strategic competition and rivalry between the three states, their threat perceptions exhibit unprecedented levels of worst-case scenario thinking, signalling a preparedness to respond with force in case of attacks or incidents involving space systems. Escalation risks in outer space, even possibly extending to the use of nuclear weapons, thus appear to be growing, especially as the deterrent role of such weapons is expanding to account for more capabilities with strategic effect.?While different variables will impact escalation dynamics at the intersection of outer space, nuclear weapons and related systems (the ‘space–nuclear nexus’), some factors clearly contribute to the risk of escalation. These include strategic ambiguity and unclear red lines on what actions could result in potential nuclear retaliation. These fuzzy red lines are further blurred by the many uncertainties in space operations, such as congestion of orbits, considerations of potential civilian harm, the role of commercial actors in space, and the integration of artificial intelligence into space systems. Additional space–nuclear-related risk reduction measures are therefore vital. This paper proposes measures at the multilateral, bilateral and unilateral levels for China, Russia and the USA to consider.
650 _amissiles
_xearly warning
_xrisk assessment
_xcommunications
_xsurveillance
_xreconnaissance
651 4 _aUSA
_xspace policy
_xnational security
651 4 _aRussia
_xspace
_xnuclear strategy
651 4 _aChina
_xnuclear weapons
653 _aISR
700 1 _aWan, Wilfred
710 2 _aSIPRI
852 _hFri e-publikation
856 4 0 _uhttps://doi.org/10.55163/FZDW6296
942 _cEMON
999 _c80400
_d80400